Have you ever walked into an empty room and noticed how strong the echo was? Maybe it was an apartment or house you were looking to rent or buy. Usually when a room is empty, there is nothing to absorb the excess sound waves. An empty room with no carpet or curtains is even worse.

After placing furniture, rugs, and curtains in your room, you may have noticed a dramatic difference in the acoustics of that room.

The reason for this dramatic change is simple. Most items, such as furniture, curtains, and rugs, absorb sound waves. Items that do not absorb sound waves will deflect them. Materials like fabric and carpet will absorb sound waves, resulting in a more comfortable environment, while materials like vinyl and leather will reflect sound waves, creating excess noise commonly known as slap and flap echo.

Many times, the existing furniture and decorations in a room are not enough to absorb the excess sound waves. Sound absorption panels, also known as acoustic panels, are commonly used to absorb excessive high and mid level frequencies. There are many manufacturers that offer a wide variety of styles, shapes, and sizes. While most sound panel manufacturers offer a limited fabric style and color selection, there are some that offer a greater variety. Sound panels can be arranged in a variety of ways, often making them a conversation centerpiece. Many manufacturers use foam or fiberglass insulation inside their sound panels as the core. In recent years, foam and traditional fiberglass insulation have been shown to contain chemicals that can be harsh to extremely dangerous to our health, such as formaldehyde. As our world has become more environmentally conscious, some manufacturers have started using eco-friendly cotton fiber as the core of their sound panels. The sound-absorbing properties of cotton fiber are second to none, making it, in many people’s opinion, the best choice.